Lock-switch.



T. D. ROBINSON. LOOK SWITCH. Az rmouron FILED JA'N.24,1911

4BHETB-SHEETZ 17.1 5 19 I f Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

T. D. ROBINSON. LOGK SWITCH. APPLIOATION r1121) JAN.24,1911.

1,006,981. Patented 001211911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

88 S: I I f v e keodore zl ioz infiou, Ital 1311107.

THEODORE D. nonmson, or LOCKPORT, NEW YORK.

Locx-swIron.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 24, 1911. Serial No. 604,438.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

To all whom it concern;

Be it known that I, Trinonoua D. ROBIN soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock- Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to'improvements in look switches and more particularly to a combination lock to be applied to the switch member of an automobile whereby the electric circuit for supplying the spark to the engine is established or broken.

The primary object of my invention is the production of .a simple, inexpensive and reliable lock of this character which will eflectively prevent the theft of an automobile or the use thereof by unauthorized per sons, or which will lockother serving de vices having movable parts necessary to actuate to serve the purpose intended.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lock of this character which may be usedin conjunction with the ordinary coil- ,box with whibh automobiles are equipped,

or directly with the circuit-wires controlled by a switch-lever or equivalent object.

Another object of: my invention is to so apply the lock that it cannot be removed by persons not in possession of the proper combin-ation, and to so construct the same that two sets of numbers or characters may be used in combination, one for locking the switch-lever, and the other for so positioning certain parts of the lock that the lock can be removed from the automobile or other object to which it may be applied.

A still further object is-to provide means to render the contacts inaccessible through the opening provided for movement of the switch-lever, thus guarding against the insertion of an object capable of establishing an electric circuit by connecting the contacts.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in improved lockingmeans adapted to iock the switch-lever 1n a position in which it has broken the circuit, or to look a movable part of any other serving device to prevent or permit its performing certain functions, as the case may be, and it also consists in means for preventing removal of the lock by unauthorized parties from the object to which it is attached.

It further consists in the arrangement and combination of devices, and in the constructlon, arrangement and combination of parts to-be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings representing two of various'constructions capable of use by the embodiment of the principle of my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved lock applied to a switch. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection taken on line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33, Fig.1. Fig. 4.- is' a vertical transverse section taken on line k4, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 55, Fig. 3, lookingin the direction of the arrow crossing saidline. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the sliding lock-bolt controlled by the tumblers. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7, Fig 5. Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8, Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 99, Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view through that portionof line 3+3, Fig. 1, which passes through the outermost tumbler-actuating lever. Fig. 11 is a detached perspective view of the tumbler-actuating-disk with its integral lever. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the tumbler-actuating disk. Fig. 13 is a dctached perspective view of the outermost tumbler-actuating disk. Fig. 14 is adetached perspective view of the tumbler spinrile. Figs. 15, 16, and 17 are detached perspective views of the, three tumbler-disks adapted to be manipulated for locking and unlocking the switchlever. Fig. 18 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of the lock casing and the switch-member or base, withthe switch-lever and modified guard carried thereby shown in position. Fig. 19 is a horizontal section of a lock showing another representative way of embodying my invention. Fig. 20 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 2020, Fig. 19, looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line. Figs. 21,22, and 23 are detached perspective views of the tumbler disks used in the representative construction disclosed in Figs. 19 and 20. Fig. 24 is a vertical section on a' reduced scale, showing my improved switch lock applied to a sparkcoil box. Fig. 25 is a detached perspective view of a spark-coil plug, such as may be used in connection with my improved locking-mechanism when applied to a coil box. F 1g. 26 is a sectional view showing the manner of connecting the switch-lever with the spark-plug of the coil-box.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

My improved switch-lock is applied to a support A, such as the dash-board of an automobile, the spark-coil box, or any other support hearing or connected with a switch lever which controls an electric circuit.

' -In Figs. 1 to 23 of my drawings, I- have shown'the lock applied to the dash-board of an automobile without a spark-coil box, such arrangement being capable of use with a high tension magneto and in other places. In many automobiles, provision can be made for connecting the switch-lever with the plug of the coil-box, but as this is merely a matter of application, it will be sufficient to state that the switch-lever to be presently described, controls the electric circuit in any practicable manner.

My improved locking-mechanism is carried by and partly confined within a housing B having a base 6 and a cap-like mem-- her or casing b secured to said base by means of a clove-tail connection which is provided by equipping the base at diametrically opposite points with two tapering dovetail lugs adapted to enter tapering dovetailed notches formed in the edge of the casing so that upon bringing the notches in the latter in line with the lugs b and sliding it laterally to enter the lugs in said notches, the casing will be held on the base. The base 6 is secured to the support A by means of screws 6 which are inaccessible when the casing is held in place. The casing has a central opening 6 through which is passed the hollow boss c of a' tumbler-actw ating disk C placed against the outer surface of the casing and it has an integral lever 0 extending from its edge to more conveniently rotate the disk. The hollow boss 0 of said disk is cylindrical, as at 0 where it passes through the wall of the casing and its extremity is made polygonal, as at 0 or otherwise shaped so that it may pass through an opening (Z in one of the tumbler-disks.

As shown in Fig. 15, the tumbler-disk re-.

ferred to is designated D and hasapolygonal opening to receive thepolygonal end of the stud c and it also has a recess al into which the end of the stud is flared, thus connect; ing the tumbler-disk D to the actuatingdisk C so that they will turn together. Passing through the hollow stud c of the tumbler-disk D, which has a cylindrical bore, is a spindle E which holds in place a tumbler-actuating lever F located outside of the tumbler-actuating disk C and movable with or independent of said disk. The

lever F has preferably a square opening 7 through which the square outer end e of the spindle E is passed, thus causing said spindle to rotate upon manipulation of said le'ver.

In order to hold the actuating-lever F against rotation with the actuating-disk C the spindle is made cylindrical where it passes through the actuating-disk, as at 6 so that it may rotate independent of said disk, and adjacent said cylindrical portion 6 the spindle is made square, as at 0 to enter a square opening (1 in a second tumbler-disk D thus compelling the latter to rotate with the spindle. The inner end of the spindle is made cylindrical, as at 6 ,and passes through a third tumbler-disk D hav ing a cylindrical opening d of a size to permit free rotation of said spindle without rotating said last-mentioned disk. The spindle is journaled at one point in the boss of the tumbler-actuating disk 0 'and at another point is a plate G, the shape of which is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, which plate is secured to studs 9 extending from the outer fiat wall of the casing, screws g being provided for this purpose. The tumbler-disks are therefore confined between the plate G and the outer flat wall of the casing and each disk has a rearwardly extending circular rim or flange d, the purpose of which is to prevent removal of the casing until after the tumbler-disks are rotated to certain predetermined positions with reference to an outstanding stop-lug H formed on the base I) and extending through the plate G and into the space bounded by the rim d of the tumblerdisks.

Itis to be noted that the tumbler-disks are made of different sizes and as these disks are substantially cup-like, they arenested; the smallest disk having its rim (Z narrower than the intermediate disk, and the latter having its rim smaller than the largest disk so that the edges of all the rims d are in alinement. At a certain point each of the flanges a is notched, as at 41 the notches being a trifle wider than the lug H. In order to manipulate the tumbler-disks, the largest disk is rotated to the proper position by actuating the disk C, after pos1- tioning which, the actuating-lever F is taken I hold of and manipulated, causing the inter mediate tumbler-disk to be rotated, and as the smallest tumbler-disk D is held loosely on the spindle E, it is provided with a segmental slot d into which extends a lug d which projects from the intermediate disk D By manipulating the intermediate disk to a considerable extent in one direction by means of the lever F the lug thereon engages one end of the slot a? and rotates the smallest disk D. After rotating the smallest disk to the extent needed to bring its notch disk, the intermediate disk (Z in line with the notch D of the largest is rotated in the opposite direction by means of the lever F and leaves the smallest disk idle and prop- -.e1*ly positioned. During this opposite move ment of the intermediate disk, the lug d"- moves idly in said slot and the notch 05 in said intermediate disk is brought into registration with the notches d of the two other disks before said lug reaches the opposite end of the slot (1 in the smallest disk. This permits the casing 6 to be removed from the base 6, since the lug H no longer acts as a stop for the rims of the tumbler disks. It is therefore seen that in order toremove the casing from the base, the tumbler-disks must be actuated by setting them according to a certain combination of numbers. The tumbler-disks D, D. D and the actuating-disk C and lever F constitute the permutation mechanism.

As an additional means for securing the casing in place sothat it cannot be accidentally forced from the base when the tumbler-disks are positioned to permit removal of the casing, left in' such position by carelessness of the operator, the base is provided with a lug J at a certain point near its periphery which has a threaded opening and in which is threaded a screw 7' that passes through an opening j in' the casing, as clearly shown in Fig.

In order to create the necessary friction to hold the actuating-disk C and lever F in the desired position, each has a spring-actuated bolt K held thereon with a convex head at its inner end and a suitable head k at its outer end. This construction is clearly disclosed in Fig. 10 and while the section shown in this figure is taken through the actuating-lever F, the spring actuated bolt in the lever of the actuating-disk C is similarly arranged; each lever having a pocket k in which a spring 70 is located that surrounds the bolt K and bears at one end against the inner wall of the pocket 70 and at its-other end against the convex head It, acting to hold said head in contact with the surface directly beneath.

Arranged in radial lines in which the combination numbers L and L are applied, are two series of slightly concaved depressions l, Z one series being in the face of the casing 71 into which the spring-actuated bolt carried by the lever c is adapted to be forced as the disk,C is rotated, and the other series being formed in the disk C for co action with the spring-actuated bolt K in the lever F.

The base 7) of the casing has two pair of contacts M, M; the contacts of each, pair' thebase, as at n, and extending out through an elongated slot n formed in the cylindrical wall of the casing 6 At its outer end said switch lever has a handle n for conveniently manipulating it. Ata oint adjacent to and within the cylindrical wall of the casing 6 said switch-lever is bent upon itself, as at 71 to straddle a segmentguard N projecting outward from the base I) and extending from end to end of the slot n or slightly beyond each end. Said guard serves to prevent the insertion of a tool or a other object through the opening 12) with a view of making connect-ion bet-ween the contacts and establishing an electric current. One set of contacts may be used for batteries with which to establish an electric .current for starting the engine, and the other for connection with a magneto to es tablish a current through the latter after having started the engine with the batteries.

In some automobiles both pairs of contacts are used in connection with batteries, while in other automobiles a single pair of contacts only are used. The base I) with its contacts and wires connected thereto and the sWitch-leverN constitute a switch-meniber which the casing caps.

The switch-lever N is movable into one of three positionsshown in Fig. 5. That shown in full lines representing the position of the switch-lever when the electric circuit is broken; and in this position it is desirable to lock the lever when leaving an automobile while attending to business or other matters. For some purposes it may not be necessary to move the switch-lever into more than two positions, while for others more than three positions may be required. This, however, ismerely a matter of application as the principle involved" lends itself wellto anysuch conditions.

The studs 9 below the tumbler-disks have depending portions 9' which provide a guide for a sliding lock-bolt P situated therebetween. The inner end of said lockbolt is rounded, as at p, for a purpose to presently appear, and the bolt is made hollow for the reception of a compression spring Q bearing with one end against the inner end of the hollowed out portion of said bolt and with its other end against a lug R projecting from the cap 6 The spring serves to force the sliding lock-bolt inward and the sliding-bolt, when in projected posit-ion shown in Fig. 4, is in the path of the bent portion 11. of the switch lever, thus preventing actuation of the latter from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, and partly in dotted lines in Fig. 4, to the posit-ions shown in dotted lines Fig. 5. When the slide-bolt is in this position, it is so held by the rims a? of the tumblerdisks; and in order to permit the spring to force saidlock-bolt inward, the rims d of said disks are cut-away, as at d, and the disk portions themselves are notched, as at "d", so that the inner end of the bolt can project inward beyond the rims d and clear the path of the bent portion 11. of the switch-lever, thus allowingsaid lever to be moved to make connection between either pair of contacts .and establish anelectric circuit for the purpose of producing aspark within the engine of the automobile. i

I preferably'provide the lock-bolt P with a lateral projection 72 which is adapted to enter the space n between the two outstanding members a which constitute the bent portion of the switch-lever. It will be noted in Fig. 4 that when the switch-lever is to the switch-lever is moved to the extreme right so as to permit the lock bolt to move inw'ard. This I consider a very essential feature of my invention, since it does not allow the automatic return of the lock-bolt in the event of an unauthorized personaccidentally placing the tumbler-disks to receive the lock-bolt in its notches. The cutting away of the rims of the tumbler-disks, as at d, is necessary owing to the fact that the slide-b0lt P is of considerable depth, necessitated by reason of the fact that within it is contained the compression spring Q; and in order to enter the notch d", clearance must be provided by cutting away the rims as described. When the circuit is established by means of the switchlever connecting either pair of contacts, the notches d of the tumbler-disks are in registration and in line with the slide-bolt to permit the latter to enter; but when stopping the car and leaving the same and it is desired to lock the switch-lever, the actuating-disk G and actuating-lever F are manipulated .so that the tumbler-disks rotate, which causes-the sliding lock-bolt P to be forced outward/ against the action of the spring Q, the rims of the tumbler-disks holding the lock-bolt in projected position where' it looks the switch-lever against movement. Now in order to rotate the tumbler-disks so as to bring the notches d in line with the sliding lock-bolt, the proper combination numbers must be known and the disks actuated in the proper directions.

The combination numbers for unlocking the switch-lever may be the same or difierent from those used for removing the casing from the base, and thiscan be accomplished to suit the desires of the maker by locating the notches d in the rims in such position that they lie opposite the stop lug H when the notches d are in line with the lock-bolt; but in the arrangement shown in the drawings, two diflerent sets of combination num'- ing of such length as to close the slot 92 in said peripheral wall regardless of the position the switch-lever may be in. When this form of guard is used, 1t is unnecessary to bend the switch-lever upon itself to form a stop for co-action with the sliding lockbolt, and when the device is so used, I preferably secure a stop-arm N on the lever directly in rear of the guard N When the sliding lock-bolt is projected, it lies in the pathof the stop-arm and prevents movement of the switch-lever.

In the modification shown in Figs. 19 to 23, I dispense with the rims d and provide the tumbler-disks with notches (2 which notches co-ac't with the sliding-bolt P and also provide the necessary play for movement of the casing to disengage the dovetailed lugs b on the base I) from the notches 0* formed in said casing. In this modification the stop lug'designated H which projects, from the base I), is positioned outside of a circle described by the edgesof the tumbler-disks, and the latter are of equal size. When the tumbler-disks are manipulated to bring the notches 03 thereofinto registration and in line with. the stop-lug H the casing can be easily removed owing to said notches providing the necessary clearance for said lug; but when said notches or any one of them is out of line with said stop-lug, the-tumbler or tumblers will strike the lug and prevent removal of the casing from the base.

In the construction shown in Figs. 24 to 26, S represents a coil-box having any of the usual forms of switches s therein with which the spindle s is adapted to co-act. When using my improved invention in connection with'a spark-plug, I provide the pivot of the switch-lever with an enlargement T having a square depression in which I secure the square end t of a fiber connector t .,'itself having a square depression 25 to receive the square end if of the spark-plug so that upon manipulating the switch-lever, the s indle a is rotated and the contact extension 3.

thereof, brought in cont-act with the necessary switch elements 8 within the coil-box, thus establishing the circuit. a

While I have adapted a well known form of permutation mechanism to the purposes of my invention, it is clear that any tumbler system or other permutation device can be readily adapted to the purposes intended by combining them with the other parts of my inventionwhereby I obtain the results described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,-

1. The combination with a base having a switch-lever and contactswith which said switch-lever is adapted to co-act, of a casing fitting onto said base, permutation-mechanism within said casing, and means controlled by said permination-mechanism to prevent the removal of the casing from said base.-

2.'The combination with a base and a switch-lever carried by said base, of a casing fitting onto said base, permutation-mechanisin within saidcasing, and a sliding lockbolt spring-pressed against said permutation-mechanism and controlled by said permutationanechanism to move the same-into the path of said switch-lever.

3. The combination with a base having contacts and a stop-lu g projecting therefrom and having also a switch-lever pivoted thereto and-adapted to engage said contacts, of a casing mounted on said base, permutationmechanism carried by said casing and cooperating with said stop-lug to prevent removal of said casing except when the parts of said permutation-mechanism are properly positioned relative to said stop-lug.

4-. The combination with a base having a pair of dovetailed lugs, and a switch-lever atlixed to said base, of a casing having dovetailed notches to receive said dove-tail lugs, porniutation-mechanism carried by said casing, and means to prevent removal of said dove-l ail lugs from their coiiperating notches except when the parts of the permutationmechanism are moved to predetermined p0- .micns.

5. The combination with a base having an cutstanding lug provided with a threaded opening, and a switch-lever carried by said base and movable into a plurality of positions, of a casing applied tosaid base and havin g a fastening screw extending through the wall thereof and taking into the threaded opening of said lug, permutation-mechanism within said casing, and means cooperating with said permutationanechanisni to lock said switch-lover in a certain position.

6. The combination with a base having a stop-lug projecting therefrom, and a switchleve'r carried by said base, of a casing secured to said base, permutation-mechanism comprising rotatabledisks having peripheral rims with a notch in each rim, said rims cooperating with said stop-lug to prevent removal of the casing from the base eXce t when said disks are actuated to bring t e notches in the rims thereof into registration and into alinement with said stop-lug.

7. The combination with a base havin contacts and a switch-lever movably held on said base and adapted to be moved into engagement with said contacts to establish an electric circuit, of a casing secured to said base and having a slot through which said switch -lever projects, a permutation -controlled locking-device adapted to hold said switch lever in the position it takes when breaking the circuit, and means to prevent the insertion of an object tl'irough said slot for the purpose of establishing a circuit by connecting said contacts.

8. The combination with a base having contacts and a guard-member extending from said base between the edge thereof and said contacts, of a switch-lever pivotally secured to said base and bent to straddle said guard-member, a casing secured to said base and having a slot through which said switchlever projects, a locking-device adapted for engagement with said switch 1eveiwhen moved into one of a plurality of positions, and permutation-mechanism controlling said locking-device.

9. The combination with a base having contacts and a switch-lever movable into a plurality of positions to establish and break an electric circuit, of a casing secured to said base, a sliding lock-bolt held to said casing, permutation-mechanism also held to said casing and adapted to move said lock-bolt into the path of said switch-lever to lock the same in one of its plurality of positions, and a spring for moving said lock-bolt out of the path of the switch-lever when parts of the permutation-mechanism are brought to certain predetermined positions.

10. The combination with a base having contacts and a switch-lever movable into a plurality of positions, in one of which the electric circuit is broken, of a casing secured I to said base, a slide-bolt held to said casing and movable toward and from the center thereof, permutation-mechanism comprising a plurality 'of disks having peripheral notches which said lock-bolt are adapted to enter to allow free movement of said switchlever, said lock-bolt being forced out of said peripheral notches upon turning said disks and co-acting with said switch-lever to lock the same in the position in which it is placed when breaking the,electric circuit.

11.- The combination with a switch-member, of a casing secured in place to cover said switch-member, means within said casing to prevent actuation of said switch member when the circuit is broken, permutationmechanism also within said casing controlling said means, ahd means cooperating with said permutation-mechanism to prevent regioval of the casing from said switch-mem- 12. The combination with a base having contacts and a switch-lever movable into a plurality of positions to establish and break an electric circuit, of a casing secured to said base, a sliding lock-bolt held to'said casing, permutationmechanism also held 'to said casing and adapted to move said sliding lock-bolt into the path of said switch-lever to prevent movement of the latter from one position to another, a spring for moving said lock-bolt out of the path of said switchlever when parts of the permutation-mechanism are brought to certain predetermined positions, and means to prevent said lockbolt moving out of the path of the switchlever when in contact therewith.

13. The combination with a base having contacts, of a switch-lever pivotally secured to said base, a casing secured to said base, a sliding lock-bolt held to said casing and having a lateral projection adapted to engage said switch lever when the latter is in contact therewith and near the end of its movement in one direction, ermutation mechanism adapted to move sald lock-bolt into the path THEODORE D. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

ELLA C. PLUECKHAHN, EMIL NEUHART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

